What Caffeine Really Does to Your Voice: A Singer’s Two-Week Experiment
What Caffeine Really Does to Your Voice: A Singer’s Two-Week Experiment
Have you ever stopped to wonder how caffeine affects your singing voice? I recently went two weeks without caffeine as part of a health challenge, and the results were surprising—not just for my body, but especially for my voice.
Here’s what I learned from this experiment, and what you might want to consider if you’re a singer who loves coffee, mate, or chocolate.
Why I Quit Caffeine
As part of the 90-day WildFit challenge, I was asked to stop consuming caffeine. Although I don't drink coffee, I do drink Argentinian mate daily, and I didn’t realize it would need to go too. Mate, like chocolate and other lesser-known sources, contains caffeine, and giving it up was no small feat.
The first few days were rough. Around day two, I started experiencing severe joint pain—especially in my hips—and it lasted for about a week. I had to take ibuprofen just to sleep. But after that, things improved drastically. By the end of the second week, I felt completely fine—and surprisingly, I didn’t miss caffeine at all.
So, What Does Caffeine Do to Your Voice?
Let’s break it down.
1. Caffeine is a Diuretic
Caffeine naturally dehydrates you. As a diuretic, it pulls water from your body, and that includes your vocal cords. Many people, myself included, often substitute water with coffee or mate without realizing the impact. For every cup of coffee, you need about two extra glasses of water just to maintain proper hydration.
Dehydration affects your vocal cords by:
Making them less flexible
Increasing vocal fatigue
Making singing harder and more effortful
Since quitting caffeine, I noticed my voice remains hydrated throughout the entire day, with no sudden dry spells or drop-offs in performance. My vocal cords feel more flexible, and singing is much easier.
2. Faster Vocal Warmups
One of the most noticeable differences was how quickly my voice became ready to sing. When I was drinking mate, my warmups took longer. Now, I find I can warm up and get into singing mode much faster, even early in the morning. That’s a huge benefit, especially on busy days when time is tight.
3. Morning Voice Clarity
Before quitting caffeine, my voice in the morning was often groggy, sluggish, and not ready to sing until the afternoon. Since cutting out caffeine, I’ve found that I can vocalize in the morning with much more ease. Whether it's due to better hydration or deeper sleep (more on that next), the improvement has been undeniable.
4. Less Anxiety
Caffeine can increase anxiety levels—even if you're used to it and don’t “feel” it anymore. For singers, this matters a lot. When you're anxious, your brain perceives danger, and your body reacts by tightening up, including your vocal cords. That’s the opposite of what we need to sing freely and expressively.
Feeling safe and relaxed is essential for good singing, both in practice and performance. Reducing caffeine helped me feel more emotionally balanced, which improved my vocal confidence and control.
5. Better Sleep = Better Singing
Even if you think caffeine doesn’t affect your sleep, research shows it can reduce the quality of your rest. The creator of the WildFit program describes it as caffeine “stealing energy from the day after.” Over time, this adds up and leads to chronic energy deficits.
As singers, quality sleep is vital:
Our muscles recover while we sleep
Our brain consolidates the learning and muscle memory from vocal practice
We wake up more focused and vocally ready
Since quitting caffeine, I’ve noticed a marked improvement in my sleep. It’s deeper, and I feel more rested. I’m also progressing faster in my vocal practice thanks to this overnight recovery.
What I’ll Do Going Forward
I'm not planning to quit caffeine forever—I enjoy mate too much for that. But I’ve decided to limit it to once a week. After this experiment, I realize that the everyday caffeine habit came at a greater cost than I expected. The loss of hydration, increased anxiety, and disturbed sleep just aren’t worth it on a daily basis.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a singer wondering how caffeine might be affecting your voice, I encourage you to try a break—even for just a week or two. You might be surprised at the clarity, flexibility, and freedom you gain in your voice.
